Truck bolster with absorption mechanism



Sept. 209 T. H. ET AL TRUCK lBOLSTER WITH ABSORPTION MECHANISM Filled oct. v, 1926 AMEND atten m Patented Sept. 20 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. SYMINGTON AND PERCY R. DRENNING, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AS- SIGN ORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO T. H. SYlYlINGr'lONl AND SON, INC., 0F BALTI- MORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION 0F 'MARYLAND.

TRUCK BOLSTER WITH ABSORPTION MECHANISM.

Application inea october 7, 1920. serial No. 140,181.

The invention relates to truck bolsters for use in connection with railway car trucks.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a novel shock absorbing mechanism Within each end portion of a truck bolster, the shock absorbing mechanism embodying resilient means cooperating With and acting in series with respect to whatever spring supporting means may be provided for the bolster.

An important object of the invention is to provide a bolster equipped internally with a combination of resilient and friction means acting in conjunction and in series With the truck springs, the entire mechanism increasing the spring capacity and avoiding overloads on the truck springs.

One of the objectsof the invention is to provide a bolster with an internal resilient means having considerable travel, which travel acts in series with the bolster supporting spring. By providing increased travel trucks will negotiate out of surface track With greater safety.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a bolster With an internally located cushion and friction mechanism embodying coacting Wedge elements operatin in conjunction with springs, the combine action absorbing shocks and jars and increasing the capacity of the truck springs.

Still another object is the provision of a bolster in which means is provided for maintaining the wedge elements in place prior to installation Within the truck so that dislocation or loss of any of the parts in handling will be avoided.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a bolster which, though equipped with the shock absorbing means or increased capacity producing means, may be used to replace any of the standard types of bolsters, no changes in the construct-ion of the side frames or other elements being necessary.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism of this character which Will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture. easy to install, positive in action, eiiicient and durable in service, and a generalimprovement in the art.

lVith the above and other objects and admation and Which may have any desired specific shape. This bolsterl is provided centrally of its top with the usual center bearing 2 beneath which there are preferably provided vertically extending reinforcementA Webs 3 located at opposite sides of the vertical aXis, only one web being, however, illustrated. rThe major portion of the bottom of the bolster 4 is represented as closed and each end 5 is open at its bottom and otherwise formed to define a pocket 6, the outer end Wall 7 of Which is closed except for a hole 8 therein. At some intermediate point in its interior the bolster is formed or provided with a guide 9 which is preferably formed integrally with the bolster and supported or strengthened by Webs 10.

Of course the ends 5 of the bolster are intended to extend into or be located Within the Window openings of truck side frames and to be supported by whatever spring devices may be provided for the purpose. It isV of course not intended that the bolster itself -be supported upon the truck springs as the present invention provides interposed means which will act to absorb shocks and vibration and which will also act to increase the springcapacity and travel. This shock absorbing means preferably comprises an elongated rod 11 mounted within each end portion of the bolster and slidable through the guide 9; Secured to the outer end of each a key 12 or the like is a Wedge rod, as by member 13 having a hub portion 14 through vwhich the key 12 passes, the ends of the key being iiush with or sunk belou7 the outer surface of the hub portion so as not to interfere with movement thereof inasmuch'as the hub portion is slidable through thev hole 8. However, a plurality of rods with the same includes 'a wedge lmember 16 within each pocket inwardly of the wedge member 13 and formed preferably .as a counterpart thereof. The wedge member 16 is .similarly formed or provided with a hub portion 17 which abuts against a'collar 18 slidable on the rod 11 in engagement with one end of a coil 19 which surrounds the rod and which has its other end abutting against the guide 9. The inner end of each rod 11 carries a 4collar 20 abutting against one end of a coil spring 21 arranged in surrounding relation to the rod 11 and abutting against the member 9. For facilitating assembling of the parts, it is preferable that the inner end of each rod 11 `befthreaded and provided with a nut 22 which bears against the collar 20. The top surface of the wedge member 16 is horizontal and bears flat against thel inside of the bolster, whereas the outer surface 23 is inclined oppositely to the inclination of` the surface 15 of the opposed wedge member 13.

Located Within the bottom portion of each pocket 6 of the bolster is a combined springseat and wedge member designated generally by the numeral 24.- which is intended for vertical movement and which has its bottom 25 adaptedto rest upon the truck springs indicated diagrammatieally at 26. The member 24 has an upstanding Wedge portion 27 recessed or otherwise formed at 28. to straddle the rod 11. This wedge portion 27 is located between the wedge members 13 and 16 and has inclined sides29 and 30 cooperating with the inclined surfaces 15 and 23 of the wedge members 13 and 16, respectively.

When the structure is assembled Within the bolster itis intended that the springs 19 and 21 be placed under initial compression, the exact degree being a matter to be determined by experiment or computation and depending upon the nature of the car, the load to be sustained, etc. To hold the parts in assembled relation especially prior to the installation of the bolster within a truck, we

preferably provide suitablesecuring means such as the bolts indicated at 31, which bolts are passed through suitable holes 32 in the top of the member 27 and screwed into suitable tapped holes 33 in the top 5 of the bolster. To facilitate casting of the member 27 and at the same time to provide means whereby access may be had to the bolts 31, the bottom 25 ofthe member 27 is preferably formed with hand holes 34. After the device' is assembled within a bolster, it is of course clear that the bolster -is installed within a truck in the'usual'manner.

In the operation, it will be seen that they nary or light load conditions. Clearly, when additional load is imposed upon the bolster, the member 24 will move upwardly with respect to thedbolster, the inclined sides 29 and 30 thereof in engagement with the inclined surfaces 15 and 23 of the wedge members 13 and 16 acting to force the members 13 and 16 apart longitudinally of the bolster and against the resistance of the springs 19 and 21. .Owing to the frictional engagement of the surfaces 15 and 29, 23 and 30, and the top surfaces of the wedge members with the underside of the top of the bolster, it is clear that the action of the springs 19 and 21 will not be abrupt, the movement under all conditions being gradual. Obviously this will act to absorb shocks and jars incident to car travel. Furthermore, the springs 19 and 21, being in series with the truck springs, will operate to ygive greatly increased spring capacity so that overloading of the truck springs, with resultant disadvantages, will be entirely avoided.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawing it will be apparent that the spring capacity and travel of the truck springs will be increased and that the action will be smoothed out and jiggle eliminated. Furthermore, as the coil springs within the bolster have a dierent period of vibration from the truck springs it is evident that syn? nol chronization will be broken up, thus checking any tendency of the car to develop roll or side sway. It is really believed that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art Without -further explanation.

While We have shown and described the preferred embodiment-of the invention, it will be understood that the disclosure is merely an'exemplification of the principles involved and it should be understood that we reserve the right to make such changes in the detailsy of construction as well as the arrangement and combination of parts to increase the adaptability and widen the field of utility of the device, provided such modifications or variations do not depart from the salient features of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, we claim: n,

1. In a'railway truck bolster, a vertically movable member within each end thereof adapted to seat upon the truck springs and having a vertically movable wedge portion thereon, other wedge members coacting with said wedge member and movable thereby, and spring means opposing movement o said second named wedge members.

2. A railway truck bolster provided within each end with shock absorbing means including a vertically movable member adapted to seat upon the truck sprin s and formed with a wedge portion, a pair o wedge members arranged longitudinally of the bolster and engaging against opposite sides of said wedge portion, and a plurality of coil springs operatively connebted with the wedge members for opposing separating movement thereof.

3. A railway truck bolster having each end formed with a pocket open at its bottom,

a member mounted within each pocket for .l

vertical movement and adapted to Seatupon the `truck springs, said member including a wedge portion, a lon 'tudinally extending rod within each end o the bolster and slidable in a longitudinal direction, wedge membersv carried by each rod and disposed against oppositesides of said wedge portion, and spring means urging said wedge members toward each other.

4. A railway truck bolster provided at each end with a pocket having an open bottom, a member located within each pocket for vertical movement therein, said member being adapted to seat upon the truck springs and having a wedge portion, a rod extending longitudinally within each end portion of the bolster and slidable longitudinally thereof, a wedge member secured upon the outer end of each rod and engaging against the outer side of said wedge portion, a wedge member slidably mounted upon each rod and engaging against thie inner face of said wedge portion, and spring means v'urging said wedge members toward each other.

5. A railway truck bolster provided at each lend with a pocket having an open bottom, a member located within each pocket for vertical movement therein, said members being adapted to seat upon the truck springs and each Ahaving a Wedge portion, a rod extending longitudinally within each end portion of the bolster and slidable longitudinally thereof, a wedge member secured upon the outer end of each rod and engaging against the outer side of said wedge portion, a wedge member slidably mounted upon each rod and engaging against the inner face of said wedge portion, and coil springs surrounding .said rods and operatively connected with the wedge members for opposing separating movement thereof.

6. A railway truck bolster provided at each end with-a pocket having an open bottom, a member located within each pocket for vertical movement therein, said members being adapted to seat upon the truck springs, each of said members having an intermediate wedge portion thereon, a rod extendf ing longitudinally within each end portion of the. bolster and slidable longitudinally thereof, a wedge member secured upon the outer end of each rod and engaging against the outer side of the first named wedge member, a wedge member slidably mounted upon each rod and engaging against the inner face of the rst named wedge member, a combined guide and abutment member within the bolster and through which each rod is slidable, a pair of coil springs encircling each rod and abutting'against the guide, a collar secured upon the inner end of each rod and bearing against the end of the innermost spring, and a collar slidable upon each rod and engaged by the inner end of each of the last named wedge members.

7. In a truck bolster, the combination of an upwardly movable member mounted within each end thereof and adapted to seat upon the truck springs, said member having a wedge portion, and spring pressed wedge means engaging said wedge portion and extending longitudinally of the bolster.

8. In a truck bolster, the combination of pockets in the ends thereof upwardly movable members mounted within said pockets and adapted to seat upon the truck springs, and combined cushion and friction producing means movableplongitudinally ofthe bolvster within each end thereof for opposing ster for opposing separating movement of the wedge members, and a verically movable combined spring seat and wedge member cooperating with and located between said first named wedge members for moving the same apart against the resistance of the springs upon upward movement of the follower with respect to the bolster.

10. In a truck bolster, absorption -mechanism therein including wedge means embodyin a vertically movable wedge member adapte to seat upon the truck springs.

11. In a truck bolster, the ,combination of an upwardly movable wedge member mounted within each en'd thereof and adapted to seat upon the truck springs, and wedge means within the bolster cooperating with said wedge member.

12. In a truck bolster, absorption mechanism including an upwardly movable member mounted within each end of the bolster and adapted to seat upon the truck springs, said member having a wedge portion, and spring-pressed wedge means within the bolster coacting with said wedge portion.

13. In a truck bolster, the combination of a substantially vertically movable wedge second named wedge member, and means for limiting downward moveme limiting the movement of the first named wedge member downwardly with respect to the bolster.

15. In a railway truck bolster, a vertically .movable wedge member wit-hin each end thereof adapted to seat upon the truck springs, a wedge member above and coacting with said wedge member and movable within ythe bolster, and means engaging the first named wedge member and the bolster for .rit of the former with respect to the latter. I

r 16. In a railway truck bolster, a verticallyv movable wedge member within each end `thereof adapted. to 'seat upon the truck.

' springs, a horizontally movable wedge member above and coacting with said first named wedge member, spring means opposing movement of the second named Wedge member, and means connecting the first named wedge member with the bolster for preventing separation. N

17. In a railway truck bolster, a vertically movable Wedge member within each end thereof adapted to ,seat upon the truck springs, a horizontally movable Wedge member above, and coaeting with said first named wedge member, spring means opposing movement of the second named wedge member, and means connecting the first named wedge member with the bolster for preventing separation, said means bein fixed with respect to the bolster and slida le with respect to the first named wedge member.

18. In a railway truck bolster, movable wedge member within each end thereof adapted to seat upon the truck springs, a horizontally movable wedge member above and coacting with said first named wedge member, spring means opposing movement of the second named wedge member, and means connecting the rst named wedge member with the bolster for preventing separation, said means comprising a securing l member extending through the bolster and a vertically I the first namedwedge member, the lirst named wedge member being slidable with respect to said securing element.

'In testimony whereof we aliix oursignatures.

THOMAS H. sYMINGToN. PERCY R. DRENNING. 

